Business

Amazon workers in Germany stage strike

Posted May 27, 2013 6:20 am

Associated Press

BERLIN — Amazon’s German workers are staging a short-term strike in a push for higher wages.

The ver.di union said Monday employees in Leipzig are walking off the job in a one-day warning strike.

The union is pushing the online retailer to adopt wage agreements similar to those governing retail and mail-order workers, which include Christmas bonuses and extra pay for working nights, Sundays and holidays. The agreements could mean as much as 9,000 euros ($11,700) more annually for Amazon workers.

Amazon says its distribution warehouses in Germany are logistics centers, and employees are already paid on the upper end of what workers in that industry earn.

Ver.di represents some 2,000 workers in Leipzig and 3,300 employees at Amazon’s Bad Hersfeld center. They staged a first strike earlier this month.

Article Comments

Article Categories
Business Information Technology

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.